OBJECTIVE:: To analyze if the combination of organizational climate and work commitment can predict return to work (RTW). METHODS:: This prospective Swedish study was based on 2285 participants, 19 to 64 years old, consecutively selected from the employed population, newly sick-listed for more than 14 days. Data were collected in 2008 through postal questionnaire and from register data. RESULTS:: Among women, the combination of good organizational climate and fair work commitment predicted an early RTW with an adjusted relative risk of 2.05 (1.32 to 3.18). Among men, none of the adjusted variables or combinations of variables was found significantly to predict RTW. CONCLUSIONS:: This study demonstrated the importance of integrative effects of organizational climate and individual work commitment on RTW among women. These factors did not predict RTW in men. More research is needed to understand the RTW process among men.

To investigate the association between organizational climate and work commitment, and sickness absence in a general population of workers and consecutively selected employed sick-listed. METHODS: Questionnaire data used in this cross-sectional study consisted of two cohorts: (1) randomly selected individuals in a general working population cohort (2763) and (2) consecutively selected employed sick-listed cohort (3044) for more than 14 days over 2 months. RESULTS: Poor organizational climate was associated with increased odds of belonging to the employed sick-listed cohort among both women and men, while high work commitments were associated with increased odds only among women. The increased adjusted odds ratio for the combinations of poor organizational climate and high work commitment was 1.80 (confidence interval 1.36 to 2.37) among women and 2.74 (confidence interval 1.84 to 4.08) among men. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the magnitude of combining organizational climate and work commitment.

Objective: To examine whether young adults with highly performance-based self-esteem (PBSE) were present at work/studies when ill more frequently than were others. Methods: By using data from a Swedish cohort of young adults aged 20 to 25 years (n = 5582 at baseline), we examined the association between PBSE and sickness presenteeism (SP) >5 times/yr (retrospectively at 1-year follow-up). Results: PBSE was a predictor of SP even when adjusting for general health, psychological demands, physical demands, economic problems, and main occupation. A synergy effect was also observed between PBSE and environmental and personal factors in relation to SP. The effect of PBSE on SP was four times higher among individuals with poor health, compared to individuals with good health. Conclusions: These results provide support for the role of personality characteristics as a predictor of frequent SP.